ARSENE WENGER has vowed that Arsenal will win the league title again before his contract ends in 2017.

Wenger last tasted glory in the title race back in 2004, when his "Invincibles" created history by going through the entire season unbeaten.

But he believes that will change.

He said: "Of course it will happen before my contract runs out."

Wenger signed a three year extension to his deal in May this year, just two weeks after his team won the FA Cup by beating Hull City at Wembley.

Tonight his side face Southampton, who are six points ahead of them in the table in third, at the Emirates while Arsenal lie 13 points adrift of leaders Chelsea

But in the decade since the Invincibles, it has been a story of heartbreak, near misses and disappointment.

The criticism of Wenger has grown this season, with fans at West Brom last Saturday calling for him to go.

He said: "We have not started this season very well but we have never had the full squad together since the start of the season.

"It has been a typical post World Cup start. But I believe that we we have what is needed to do it.

"We have to fight like mad now to come back as much as possible to show that we can compete in every single game.

"We have fought many times for the title. People always remember who won it but the fight has been very tight for long periods in each of the last eight or nine years.

"We have a big competition in England, we have to accept that. The level of the Premier League always goes up, and this season Chelsea have started very well.

We have to fight like mad now to come back as much as possible to show that we can compete in every single game

Arsene Wenger

"They will be difficult to catch – but everybody will fight to come back at them. You cannot say, after only 13 games, that the title race is over. You cannot say that a six point lead is not catchable."

Southampton beat Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates in the Capital One Cup in September but theiur manager Ronald Koeman has admitted they have "a long way to go" to learn about life at the sharp end of the Premier League.

Koeman has challenged Saints to teach themselves how to handle the chase for a top-four spot after Sunday's 3-0 defeat to champions Manchester City.

"We can show them clips from games for example, but finally that is for the player by himself to change and to learn off that, and we speak about that," said Koeman.